Pedal attachment for pianos and the like.



W. l. KIRK.

PEDAL ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3.1915.

1,269,? 1 7 Patented J une 18, 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER I. KIRK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LYON & HEALY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PEDAL ATTACHMENT FOR I'IAN OS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1918.

Application filed June 3, 1915. Serial No. 31,829.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER I. KIRK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pedal Attachments forPianos and the like, of which the following is a full, clear, concise,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to pedal attachments for pianos and likeinstruments.

Prominent objects of the invention are to provide a simple and practicaldevice for attachment to or use in connection with a piano pedal so asto permit the pedals to beactuated by children and others having shortlegs; to simplify the construction and cheapen the cost of manufactureof the device; to arrange for the easy attachment of the device to thepiano pedals, and ready detachment of the same therefrom; to permitadjustment to accommodate different styles or kinds of pedals located atdifferent heights; to secure a high degree of efiiciency of operation;and to accomplish the foregoing and other desirable results in a simpleand expeditious manner.

In carrying out my invention in the manner hereinafter set forth, Iprovide a frame more or less in the form of a stool which is adapted tobe located upon the floor in front of the piano or other instrument inconnection with which the device is to be used. At the upper portion ofthe frame or stool a pair of pedals is provided and these pedals areconveniently pivoted at their forward ends so as to permit them to beswung or operated up and down by the feet. Operating rods are connectedwith the pedals in the rear of their pivots and are extended down toclips which are adapted to be applied to the pedals of the piano or likedevice. These clips are of peculiarly advantageous construction topermit them to be readily applied to and detached from the pedals. Thusthe device may be set upon the floor in front of the piano or otherinstrument with its treadles more or less above the piano pedals and itsclips may be applied to said pedals so that by operation of the treadlesthe piano pedals may be actuated as desired.

In the accompanyin drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section 0 a pedalattachment embodying my invention taken on line 11 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a detail of construction.

Referrin to the drawings I show a base or frame A, more or less in thenature of a stool with an upper frame 1, and four upright legs 2-2 and33. The upper frame 1 is conveniently made rectangular in form as shownin Fig. 2, and the legs 22 and 33 properly secured thereto. The legs 2and 3 are preferably provided at their lower ends with coverings or tips4 desirably made of rubber or some similar material. The rear of theframe 1 is provided with rearwardly extending projections 5-5 which arepreferably provided with end pieces 6 which may be in the form of plugsmade of rubber or similar material inserted in apertures in theprojections 5, as shown in cross section in Fig. 2. Two treadles 77 aremounted above the frame 1, said treadles being conveniently pivoted attheir front ends as shown at 8 (Fig. 1), upon lugs 99 formed integralwith the frame 1, whereby said treadles may swing up and down (Fig. 1).Operating rods 10 are pivotally connected at their upper ends 11 to therear portions of the treadles 7 These operating rods 10 are preferablymade of two telescoped parts 12 and 13 with a thumb screw 14 to holdsaid parts in adjustment. Pedal clips 15 are pivoted at 16 to the lowerends of the rods 10. The clips 15 are preferably made so that they maybe detachably ap plied to the pedals, the construction shown consistingof a front portion 15 adapted to fit around and over the end or toe ofthe pedal as shown in Fig. 2, and a connected rear portion 17 in theform of a cross bar adapted to fit underneath the shank 18 of the pedal.Thus the pedal is more or less grasped or inclosed, but a side opening1s provided between the toe portion 15 and the heel or cross member 17through which the pedal may be inserted so as to apply the clip to thepedal and remove it therefrom. The cross or heel member 17 is providedwith a screw 19 adjustable in a slot 20 and preferably inclosed in arubber washer 21 whereby said screw may be adjusted to acconnnodatedifferent sized shanks for different pedals between said washer orcollar 21 and the side connecting portion 22 between the portions 15 and16 of said pedal clip.

Thus in using the device it will be set in position in front of thepiano as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the end pieces 6 in contact withthe front wall of the piano and the caps or tips resting upon the floor.The clips 15 will be applied to the piano pedals 25 so as to embrace thesame and the rods 10 will be properly adjusted in length so that whenthe piano pedals are in their normal elevated position, one of which isshown in said position in Fig. 1, the treadles 7 will be elevated andinclined at the angle as is shown by the treadle illustrated inelevation (not in section) in Fig. 1. In this way the feet of the personusing the piano may normally and continually rest upon the treadles 7,allowing the same to be held upwardly by the spring action of the pianopedals when desired. When it is desired however, to operate one of saidpiano pedals the corresponding foot treadle 7 is depressed, as shown bythe treadle shown in section in Fig. 1, whereupon the corresponding pushrod 10 will depress said piano pedal as shown in Fig. 1. Thus one or theother or both of said piano pedals may be operated from time to time, asdesired.

When desired to remove the device from position in front of the piano,the push rods 10 may be elevated slightly so as to tip them withreference to the piano pedals whereby they may be disconnected from saidpedals by a sidewise movement. Simply lifting the entire device eitherby lifting the treadle 7 or the supporting frame 1 is sufficient toaccomplish this disengage ment of the-clips 15 from the piano pedals.

It will be seen that a person using the at tachment requires no separatefoot rest, the feet resting always upon the treadles 7; nor is itnecessary to move the feet from a foot rest to a pedal actuatingmechanism, because obviously the feet by resting upon the trea dles 7are always in position to operate the mechanism to actuate the pedals,the treaclles 7 accommodating both toes and heels of the feet.Furthermore, the connection of the device with the pedals issufficiently positive to avoid any slipping or disengage ment of thedevice from the piano pedals, but at the same time is such as to permita quick and ready disconnection from the piano pedals. Furthermore, byconnecting the operating rods 10 to the forward ends of the clips 15,said rods will act upon said clips near the forward or outer ends of thepedals, and will therefore exert a strong leverage, much greater ofcourse than if said rods acted upon the toe portions of the pedals 'oreven upon the pedal shanks. This leverage is further emphasized by theleverage secured by the treadles 7 and their con nections with theoperating rods 10, substantially in the rear of the points of pivotalsupport of the treadles, whereby very easy operation of the pedals isobtained.

In order to prevent the treadles 7 from being swung too far upwardlythey are preferably provided with set screws 7 a underneath theirforward ends which set screws are adapted to come into contact with ashoulder or edge portion of the frame 1. The treadles 7 are preferablymade of very light metal such as aluminum and of a single piece with aserrated surface 7 surrounded by a rim 7 It will be understood thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention.

What I claim is:

A device of the class specified comprising in combination a frameadapted to be set in position in front of the piano or other instrument,treadles pivotally connected at their forward ends to said frame,operating rods pivotally connected with said treadles and extendeddownwardly therefrom in a substantially vertical direction and clips forthe pedals of the piano or other instrument, said clips when in positionon said pedals grasping the pedals and extending lengthwise of the sameto the front ends thereof, said clips being pivotally connected at theirforward ends to the lower ends of said operating rods.

2. A device of the class specified comprising in combination a frameadapted to be set in position in front of the piano or other instrument,treadles pivotally connected at their forward ends to said frame,operating rods pivotally connected with said treadles and, extendeddownwardly therefrom in a substantially vertical direction and clips forthe pedals of the piano or other instrument, said clips when in positionon said pedals grasping the pedals and extending lengthwise of the sameto the front ends thereof, said clips being pivotally connected in frontof the front ends of the pedals to the lower ends of said operatingrods. 3. Adevice of the class specified comprismg in combination, arectangular frame consisting of front, rear and side parts, leesextending downwardly from the corners of said frame, projections tocontact with the front of the piano formed by oontinuations of said sideparts, treadles pivoted at their forward ends to the front part of saidframe, operating rods pivotally connected to the rear end portions ofsaid treadles and extending downwardly therefrom and pedal clipsengaging; said pedals and connected with the lower ends of saidoperating rod.

4. A device of the class specified comprising a frame provided withsupporting legs,

treadles having their front ends pivotally connected With said frame,connecting rods extending downwardly from said treadles and pedalengaging clips grasping said pedals by overlying and partially inelosingthe front portions of said pedals and underlying the rear portions ofthe same, whereby said clips may be disengaged by an elevation of saidrods and the device may be detached by lifting it so as to elevate saidrods.

5. In a device of the class specified, a pedal engaging clip comprisinga member constructed to engage the upper side of the toe portion of thepedal and having an integrally formed cross piece engaging the underside of the pedal remote from the toe portion, said cross piece beingprovided with an adjustable device for engaging one side of said pedal.

6. In a device of the class specified, a pedal engaging clip comprisingtoe portions adapted to fit over and at the sides of the toe portion ofthe pedal, and a cross piece adapted to fit underneath the shank portionof the pedal, said cross piece being provided With a longitudinallyextending slot and a screw having a member constructed to engage thepedal adapted to be adjusted in said slot.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 18th day of May,A. D. 1915.

WALTER I. KIRK. Witness:

A. L. Jones.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

